Happy Thanksgiving!

One of the best ways we show our gratitude is by blessing the lives of those around us. The great King Benjamin taught his people:

“If you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice. …

“… If ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants” (Mosiah 2:20–21).

And how do we render thanks unto God? King Benjamin told us that as well: “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).

We can live in thanksgiving daily by opening our arms to those around us. When was the last time you told someone you love how much they mean to you? When was the last time you expressed your gratitude to someone who has always been there for you, someone who has sacrificed for you, someone whose heart has always been filled with hopes and dreams for you?

When was the last time you unselfishly reached out to help another in need? Every time we cheer another’s heart, every time we ease another’s burden, every time we lift a weary hand, we show our gratitude to that God to whom we owe all that we have and all that we are.

Each of You is Unique

My dear sisters, each of you is unique. You are different from each other in many ways. There are those of you who are married. Some of you stay at home with your children, while others of you work outside your homes. Some of you are empty-nesters. There are those of you who are married but do not have children. There are those who are divorced, those who are widowed. Many of you are single women. Some of you have college degrees; some of you do not. There are those who can afford the latest fashions and those who are lucky to have one appropriate Sunday outfit. Such differences are almost endless. Do these differences tempt us to judge one another?

Mother Teresa, a Catholic nun who worked among the poor in India most of her life, spoke this profound truth: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” The Savior has admonished, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” I ask: Can we love one another, as the Savior has commanded, if we judge each other? And I answer—with Mother Teresa—“No; we cannot.”

—President Thomas S. Monson

Jeffrey R. Holland - October 2010 General Conference

My thanks to all you wonderful members of the Church—and legions of good people not of our faith—for proving every day of your life that the pure love of Christ “never faileth.”4 No one of you is insignificant, in part because you make the gospel of Jesus Christ what it is—a living reminder of His grace and mercy, a private but powerful manifestation in small villages and large cities of the good He did and the life He gave bringing peace and salvation to other people. We are honored beyond expression to be counted one with you in such a sacred cause.
As Jesus said to the Nephites, so say I today:
“Because of your faith … , my joy is full.
“And when he had said these words, he wept.”5
Brothers and sisters, seeing your example, I pledge anew my determination to be better, to be more faithful—more kind and devoted, more charitable and true as our Father in Heaven is and as so many of you already are. This I pray in the name of our Great Exemplar in all things—even the name of the Lord Jesus Christ—amen.

(From "Because of Your Faith")

President Uchtdorf ~~~~

When there is personal adversity, slow down and focus on the essential things... There is a beauty that comes in simplicity... You can only become great by mastering the fundamentals... Diligently doing the things that matter most will bring us to the Savior of the world.

General Conference 10/02-10/03

Session times:
Saturday, October 2nd -
12 PM
4 PM

Priesthood Session, Saturday October 2nd -
8 PM

Sunday, October 3rd -
12 PM
4 PM

Brown Sugar Chicken

-6 boneless, skinless breast halves
-1 cup brown sugar
-1/4 cup lemon-lime soda
-2/3 cup vinegar
-3 cloves smashed and chopped garlic
-2 T soy sauce
-1 tsp ground black pepper

Use a 5-6 quart crockpot for this recipe.

Plop the chicken into your crockpot. Cover with the brown sugar, pepper, chopped garlic, and soy sauce. Add the vinegar, and pour in the soda. (It will bubble)

Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The chicken is done when it is cooked through and has reached desired consistency. The longer you cook it, the more tender it will be.

General Relief Society Broadcast

The Broadcast will be shown this Saturday night at 8PM at the Ward house.

There is also going to be a Relief Society Meeting on Tuesday night at 6:30PM to etch glass dishes. If you want to make one, please sign up on Sunday!

What is This Thing Man Calls Death?

What is this thing that men call death
This quiet passing in the night?
’Tis not the end but genesis
Of better worlds and greater light.


O God, touch Thou my aching heart
And calm my troubled, haunting fears.
Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure,
Give strength and peace beyond my tears.


There is no death, but only change,
With recompense for vict’ry won.
The gift of Him who loved all men,
The Son of God, the Holy One

Copyright © 2007 by Gordon B. Hinckley and Janice Kapp Perry. All rights reserved. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial home and church use

God Be With You Til We Meet Again, Dear Friend

Our Responsibility to Nurture the Rising Generation - September Visiting Teaching Message

Study this material and, as appropriate, discuss it with the sisters you visit. Use the questions to help you strengthen your sisters and to make Relief Society an active part of your own life.
From the Scriptures
Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4; Enos 1:1; Alma 53:20–21; 56:47; 57:27

Without nurturing, our rising generation could be in danger of becoming like the one described in Mosiah 26. Many youth didn’t believe the traditions of their fathers and became a separate people as to their faith, remaining so ever after. Our rising generation could likewise be led away if they don’t understand their part in Heavenly Father’s plan.

So what is it that will keep the rising generation safe? In the Church, we teach saving principles, and those principles are family principles, the principles that will help the rising generation to form a family, teach that family, and prepare that family for ordinances and covenants—and then the next generation will teach the next and so on.

As parents, leaders, and Church members, we are preparing this generation for the blessings of Abraham, for the temple. We have the responsibility to be very clear on key points of doctrine found in the proclamation on the family. Motherhood and fatherhood are eternal roles and responsibilities. Each of us carries the responsibility for either the male or the female half of the plan.

We can teach this doctrine in any setting. We must speak respectfully of marriage and family. And from our example, the rising generation can gain great hope and understanding—not just from the words we speak but from the way we feel and emanate the spirit of family.

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president.

From Our History
Addressing the sisters at the general Relief Society meeting on September 23, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “The world we are in is a world of turmoil, of shifting values. Shrill voices call out for one thing or another in betrayal of time-tested standards of behavior.” President Hinckley then went on to introduce to the sisters, the Church, and ultimately people everywhere “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.”

In subsequent years this prophetic document has been translated into many languages and distributed to world leaders. It asks citizens and government leaders “to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.”

The proclamation has become the foundation for Latter-day Saint beliefs about the family, a statement to which we can hold fast and know that by living its precepts, we are strengthening our families and homes.

A Vision of Visiting Teaching

President Kimball gave this address 16 September 1958, when he was a member of the Council of the Twelve. His message, to a visiting teacher convention in the Salt Lake Monument Park Stake, is still fresh and vital.

My beloved sisters, I think my first awareness or consciousness of the existence and the importance of the Relief Society came very early in my life.

My family left Salt Lake City for Arizona when I was three years old. My mother then had six children, and during the time that she went through five more pregnancies and five more births, she was president of the ward Relief Society.

We went to a new land, where water was drawn out of open wells; where flies were so thick you could hardly see out of the screen door in the evening; where typhoid fever was prevalent, and many other diseases, too; where medical help was extremely limited—there were no hospitals, no nurses, and no trained people except the country doctor who had more than he could ever do.

I read in my mother’s journal not long ago such expressions as these: “I left the children with Ruth or Delbert or with Gordon and went to Sister Smith’s home where the second twin had just died and where there were other children desperately ill with typhoid fever.” Again: “Today I spent the day with other sisters making burial clothes for the two children of Sister Jones.” and on and on and on. That was my introduction to Relief Society, and I am sure that to some degree that kind of work is still going forward, for as I understand your work, it includes not only the spiritual and the moral, but also the physical well-being of the people of the ward.

Whenever I think of visiting teachers, I think your duties in many ways must be like those of the home teachers, which briefly are “to watch over the church always”—not twenty minutes a month but always—“and be with and strengthen them”—not a knock at the door, but to be with them, and lift them and strengthen them, and empower them, and fortify them—“and see that there is no iniquity … neither hardness … backbiting, nor evil speaking.” (D&C 20:53–54.)

What an opportunity! But so many would like to talk about other things—the weather, politics, or to talk about something that was just done in the ward, the division of a ward, the reorganization of a bishopric, the reorganization of the Relief Society presidency, or any of the numerous things that could be done in the ward that people might find reason for questioning or criticizing. How glorious is the privilege of two sisters going into a home, de-emphasizing anything that could be detrimental, and instead, building up all the authorities of the Church, the Church itself, its doctrines, its policies, its practices.

There can be no force used in this program as I understand it. It is a work of encouragement and love. It is amazing how many people we can convert with love and inspire with love. We are “to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite … to come unto Christ.” (D&C 20:59.) This could be nonmembers as well as members.

To be successful, a visiting teacher should have a high purpose and remember it all the time, should have great awareness, a terrific enthusiasm that cannot be overcome, a positive attitude, and a great love.

Temple Blessings - A View From Higher Ground

As a youth I had many opportunities to perform baptisms for the dead in the San Diego California Temple. Though I always had a good experience, one trip in particular stands out in my mind.

I was 16, and my little sister had just turned 12 and was making her first trip to do baptisms for the dead. Since it was her first time, we decided to walk around the outside of the temple after we finished.

The temple grounds have a couple of lookout points on one side, so we walked over there. Because the San Diego Temple is situated next to a busy highway, when you stand at a lookout point, you actually look down at the freeway.

Standing on the temple’s higher ground that day gave me a new perspective on life. I was looking down at the world with its whizzing cars, crowded shopping centers, and graffiti-covered road signs.

It was then that the thought came to my mind: “You don’t want to be a part of that; it’s not what life is about.” I had always been taught that the purpose of life is to return to live with our Heavenly Father and become like Him. I knew I didn’t need the things of the world to accomplish that purpose.

I turned around and looked at the beautiful temple, and I was grateful for the knowledge of the gospel and the perspective it gave me. I knew that in the midst of the chaotic and treacherous world, I had found higher ground to stand on.

That day at the temple I promised my Heavenly Father that I would always stand on His side and not the world’s. No matter what the world throws at us, we can overcome it by keeping the covenants we have made and by standing in holy places (see D&C 87:8).

Mindy Raye Holmes, “A View from Higher Ground,” Liahona, Aug. 2010

Family Home Evening web address

Here is the web address for the FHE site we talked about last night at RS meeting:

http://www.ldsliving.com/magazine/cat/3/FHE

(you will have to cut and paste it)

At the top there is a 'free email subscription' sign up.

Relief Society Meeting - August 17th!

Don't forget that there is a Relief Society Meeting tomorrow night (August 17th) at 6:30 PM. Classes are 'Cheap Date Ideas' and 'FHE Packets'. Hope to see you all there!

New LDS site for Women

The Mormon Women Project is a continuously expanding digital library of interviews with Latter-day Saint women from around the world.

http://www.mormonwomen.com/about/

(The Mormon Women Project has no official affiliation with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints except that the women profiled on this site are currently active members of the Church.)

I'm Just a Visiting Teacher

Author Unknown

"I'm just a visiting teacher,"
I said to my friend today.
And my father in Heaven heard me,
And I seemed to hear him say:
"Not just a visiting teacher,
A disciple with work to do,
And wherever you carry my message
My spirit goes with you."

"Some daughters of mine with burdens
Some seem to have lost the way
Go take them my love and my gospel
To strengthen them day by day."
"Never say you're just a visiting teacher,
Have faith and you'll understand
When you enter a home with love and prayer --
I take you by the hand."

August Visiting Teaching Message

OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE TEMPLE WORTHY

From the Scriptures
Isaiah 2:2–3; D&C 109:22–23; 110:8–10

“The covenants we make with the associated ordinances we receive in the temple become our credentials for admission into God’s presence. These covenants elevate us beyond the limits of our own power and perspective. We make covenants to show our devotion to build up the kingdom. We become covenant people as we are placed under covenant to God. All the promised blessings are ours through our faithfulness to these covenants. …

“What can the women of the Church do to claim the blessings of the temple?

“Through His prophets, the Lord invites those who have not yet received the blessings of the temple to do whatever may be necessary to qualify to receive them. He invites those who have already received these blessings to return as often as possible to enjoy again the experience, to increase their vision and understanding of His eternal plan.

“Let us be worthy to have a current temple recommend. Let us go to the temple to seal our families eternally. Let us return to the temple as often as our circumstances will permit. Let us give our kindred dead the opportunity to receive the ordinances of exaltation. Let us enjoy the spiritual strength and the revelation we receive as we attend the temple regularly. Let us be faithful and make and keep temple covenants to receive the full blessings of the Atonement."

Silvia H. Allred, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency.

From Our History
President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) taught that Relief Society grew out of sisters’ desire to worship in temples:

“During the construction of the Kirtland Temple the women were called upon to grind their china into small particles to be mixed with the plaster used on the walls of the temple, which would catch the light of the sun and the moon and reflect that light to beautify the appearance of the building.

“In those times, when there was very little of money but an abundance of faith, the workmen gave of their strength and resources to the construction of the Lord’s house. The women supplied them with food, the best they could prepare. Edward W. Tullidge reported that while the women were sewing the temple veils, Joseph Smith, observing them, said, ‘Well, sisters, you are always on hand. The sisters are always first and foremost in all good works. Mary was first at the resurrection; and the sisters now are the first to work on the inside of the temple.’ …

“Again in Nauvoo, when the temple was under construction, a few women joined together to make shirts for the workmen. It was out of these circumstances that twenty of them gathered on Thursday, 17 March 1842, in the upper room of the Prophet’s store.”

What Can I Do?
1. What support can I offer to help my sisters prepare for and attend the temple?

2. How can I exemplify the heritage of the early sisters who sacrificed to receive temple blessings?

3. How can I claim the blessings of the temple?

For more information, go to www.reliefsociety.lds.org.

What is Home?

A roof to keep out the rain. Four walls to keep out the wind. Floors to keep out the cold. Yes, but home is more than that. It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother, the strength of a father. Warmth of loving hearts, light from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty, comradeship. Home is first school...for the young ones where they learn what is right, what is good, and what is kind. Where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick. Where joy is shared and sorrow eased. Where fathers and mothers are respected and loved. Where children are wanted. Where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is earned. Where money is not so important as loving-kindness. Where even the teakettle sings from happiness. That is home.~ Ernestine Schumann-Heink

July Visiting Teaching Message

Strengthening at Every Opportunity

"Each of us is in a different family situation. Some families have a mother and father with children at home. Some couples no longer have children at home. Many members of the Church are single, and some are single parents. Others are widows or widowers living alone.

“No matter what our family looks like, each of us can work to strengthen our own families or help in strengthening others.

“[Once] I stayed in the home of my niece and her family. That evening before the children went to bed, we had a short family home evening and a scripture story. Their father told about the family of Lehi and how he taught his children that they must hold fast to the iron rod, which is the word of God. Holding fast to the iron rod would keep them safe and lead them to joy and happiness. If they should let go of the iron rod, there was danger of drowning in the river of dirty water.

“To demonstrate this to the children, their mother became the ‘iron rod’ that they must cling to, and their father played the role of the devil, trying to pull the children away from safety and happiness. The children loved the story and learned how important it is to hold fast to the iron rod. After the scripture story it was time for family prayer. …

“Scriptures, family home evening, and family prayer will strengthen families. We need to take every opportunity to strengthen families and support one another to stay on the right path.”

Barbara Thompson, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency.

From the Scriptures
Genesis 18:19; Mosiah 4:15; D&C 93:40; Moses 6:55–58

From Our History
From the beginning Relief Society has had a charge to strengthen families and homes. The Prophet Joseph taught sisters at an early Relief Society meeting, “When you go home, never give a cross or unkind word to your husbands, but let kindness, charity and love crown your works henceforward.”

In 1914 President Joseph F. Smith told Relief Society sisters, “Wherever there is ignorance or at least a lack of understanding in regard to the family, … there this organization exists or is near at hand, and by the natural endowments and inspiration that belongs to the organization they are prepared and ready to impart instruction with reference to those important duties.”

What Can We Do?
1. What ideas for strengthening families and homes will you share with your sisters? As you ponder their individual circumstances, the Spirit can bring ideas to your mind.

2. What priorities can you change this month to better strengthen your own family and home?

For more information, go to www.reliefsociety.lds.org.

Pioneer Day Celebration!

Date: Saturday, July 24th
Where: Statesville Ward
When: 5-7 PM

Everyone bring a side dish and a dessert.

Please bring a Lawn Chair!

Pioneer Games and FUN!

Peaches!

The peaches are awesome this year! Preserving peaches is easy-peasy:

Cooking Directions:
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 pounds peaches per quart - (to 3)
=== EXTRA LIGHT SUGAR SYRUP - (6 cups) ===
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 1/2 cups water
=== LIGHT SUGAR SYRUP - (6 1/2 cups) ===
2 1/4 cups sugar
5 1/4 cups water
=== MEDIUM SUGAR SYRUP - (7 cups) ===
3 1/4 cups sugar
5 cups water
=== HEAVY SUGAR SYRUP - (7 cups) ===
4 1/4 cups sugar
4 1/4 cups water

Prepare jars and closures according to
manufacturer's instructions.

To prepare peaches: Wash peaches; dip in boiling water 30 to 60 seconds;
immediately dip in cold water. Slip off peel. Cut in half; pit and
scrape cavity to remove red fibers. (The fibers are likely to turn a
brownish color during storage.)

Cling peaches are easier to cut into halves if a pitting spoon is used to
loosen the pulp from the pit. Push the spoon through pulp from the stem
end to the end of the pit, cutting pulp from the pit. If a pitting spoon
is not available, use a knife to cut through to the pit; begin at stem end
and follow crease to blossom end; continue cutting on opposite side.
After cutting, hold a peach half in each hand and twist in opposite
directions to separate halves.

Raw Pack - Peel peaches; cut in half and pit. Treat fruit to prevent
darkening. Make a sugar syrup; keep syrup hot. Drain peaches. Pack
peaches cavity-side down, layers overlapping, into hot jars, leaving
1/2-inch headspace.

Carefully ladle hot syrup over peaches, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Remove air bubbles with a nonmetallic spatula. Wipe jar rim clean. Place
lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly
and firmly just until a point of resistance is met -- fingertip tight.

Process pints 25 minutes, quarts 30 minutes, in a boiling-water canner.
At elevations higher than 1,000 feet, boil 2 additional minutes for each
additional 1,000 feet elevation.

Hot Pack - Peel peaches; cut in half and pit. Treat fruit to prevent
darkening. Make a sugar syrup. Drain peaches. Cook peaches one layer at
a time in syrup until peaches are hot throughout. Pack hot peaches into
hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Carefully ladle hot syrup over peaches, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Remove air bubbles with a nonmetallic spatula. Wipe jar rim clean. Place
lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly
and firmly just until a point of resistance is met -- fingertip tight.

Process pints 20 minutes, quarts 25 minutes, in a boiling-water canner.
At elevations higher than 1,000 feet, boil 2 additional minutes for each
additional 1,000 feet elevation.

To prepare sugar syrup: Select the type of sugar syrup desired for
canning peaches. Combine sugar and water in a large saucepot; bring to a
boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Keep sugar syrup hot
while filling jars. For hot-pack method, heat peaches in syrup as
directed in recipe.

Be Friendly!

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in a November 1988 Ensign article, said, “Despite some well-publicized criticism to the contrary, I believe Church members want to be good friends and neighbors wherever they live, but some are shy and overly cautious. This can appear to be clannish. We must not reserve our kindness and affection only for our fellow members. We must be sensitive and not oblivious to the feelings of those whose views may differ from ours. Considering the early history of the Church in these latter days, unkindness or indifference toward others should be abhorrent to members of the Church.”

Youth Conference - Going to Nauvoo!

"Many of you participated in the dedication of the Nauvoo temple last June (June 2002). It was a great and marvelous occasion, one to be long remembered. We not only dedicated a magnificent building, a house of the Lord, but we also dedicated a beautiful memorial to the Prophet Joseph Smith.

In 1841, two years after he came to Nauvoo, he broke ground for a house of the Lord that should stand as a crowning jewel to the work of God.

It is difficult to believe that in those conditions and under those circumstances a structure of such magnificence was designed to stand on what was then the frontier of America.

I doubt, I seriously doubt, that there was another structure of such design and magnificence in all the state of Illinois.

It was to be dedicated to the work of the Almighty, to accomplish His eternal purposes.

No effort was spared. No sacrifice was too great. Through the next five years men chiseled stone and laid footings and foundation, walls and ornamentation. Hundreds went to the north, there to live for a time to cut lumber, vast quantities of it, and then bind it together to form rafts which were floated down the river to Nauvoo. Beautiful moldings were cut from that lumber. Pennies were gathered to buy nails. Unimaginable sacrifice was made to procure glass. They were building a temple to God, and it had to be the very best of which they were capable."

President Gordon B. Hinckley ~ Ensign November 2002

Scout Camp Week

Our Scouts are at camp this week (yes, in this HORRIBLE heat....).

In the October 1993 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley called Scouting
"a program which the Church has sponsored for eighty years, to the blessing of hundreds of thousands of boys and young men."

President Monson:
Twenty-five years ago my wife Frances and I were on an assignment in London,
England. One afternoon we walked from the sunbathed street into the semidarkness of
Westminster Abbey.
A reverence filled this world-famous edifice where kings are crowned, royalty wedded,
and rulers whose mission of mortality has ended are honored, then buried. We walked
along the aisleways, thoughtfully reading the inscriptions which marked the tombs of the famous. We remembered their achievements, recalled their deeds of valor, and marked their well-earned places in the world's history.
Eventually we walked toward the doorway. The immortal words of Rudyard Kipling
coursed through my mind and spoke to my soul:

The tumult and the shouting dies,
The captains and the kings depart;
Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart;
Lord God of hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget.

One final marker to see, one more inscription to read. As a Scouter, I wanted to view the plaque of honor dedicated to the memory of Scouting's founder, Lord Baden-Powell. We stood before the magnificent marble memorial and noted the words:

Robert Baden-Powell, 1857–1941
Founder of the Boy Scouts
Friend of all the World

I pondered the thought, "How many boys have had their lives blessed---even saved---by
the Scout movement begun by Baden-Powell?" Unlike others memorialized within the
walls of Westminster Abbey, Baden-Powell had neither sailed the stormy seas of glory
nor founded empires of worldly wealth. Rather, he was a builder of boys---one who
taught them well how to run and win the race of life.
The boys of today will become the men of tomorrow.

Nobody knows what a boy is worth;
We'll have to wait and see.
But every man in a noble place
A boy once used to be.

Zucchini Salsa

Ingredients
10 cups zucchini, peeled & shredded
4 onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
2 red peppers, chopped
1/4 cup pickling salt
1 tablespoon pickling salt
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cumin
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon pepper
5 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
12 ounces tomato paste

Directions

Day one: In a large bowl combine; Zucchini, onions, green pepper, red pepper and the salt Mix together cover and let stand over night.
Next day rinse, drain well and put into a large pot then add mustard, garlic, cumin, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper flakes, salt,cornstarch, nutmeg, pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Water bath jars for 15 minutes.

And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—
Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.

Basil is an easy herb to grow and is perfect for a flower pot or container. Basil can be used in sauces, vegetables, salads, meat, seafood, egg dishes.

Basil is wonderful on cooked pasta with some olive oil, garlic and chopped fresh tomatoes!

Don't Forget!

This coming Saturday - the 19th - is the RS Spa Day at Sister Barzee's home. If you didn't see the sign up sheets in the foyer at church today, please contact a member of the RS presidency to make sure you are counted in!

Hope to see you there!

Congratulations

Congratulations to all of our 2010 graduates!


.......if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come. Doctrine and Covenants 130:19

(and please don't forget to help Sister Jenny Rash's school - see blog post for Sunday June 6th)

Self-Reliance

"We become self-reliant," explains Julie Beck, president of the Church's organization for women, "through obtaining sufficient knowledge, education, and literacy; by managing money and resources wisely, being spiritually strong, preparing for emergencies and eventualities; and by having physical health and social and emotional well-being."

The responsibility for our social, emotional, spiritual, physical, and economic well-being rests first on ourselves, second on our family, and third on the Church. Under the inspiration of the Lord and through our own labors, we should supply ourselves and our family with the spiritual and temporal necessities of life.

We are better able to take care of ourselves and our family when we are self-reliant. We are prepared to endure times of adversity without becoming dependent on others.

We can become self-reliant by (1) taking advantage of educational opportunities; (2) practicing sound principles of nutrition and hygiene; (3) preparing for and obtaining suitable employment; (4) storing a supply of food and clothing to the extent the law allows; (5) managing our resources wisely, including paying tithes and offerings and avoiding debt; and (6) developing spiritual, emotional, and social strength.

In order to become self-reliant, we must be willing to work. The Lord has commanded us to work (see Genesis 3:19;D&C 42:42). Honorable work is a basic source of happiness, self-worth, and prosperity.

Please don't forget to read the post for Sunday, June 6th and go and vote to help Sister Jenny Rash's school!

Be A Missionary!

President Ezra Taft Benson taught: “We are commanded by God to take this gospel to all the world. That is the cause that must unite us today. Only the gospel will save the world from the calamity of its own self-destruction. Only the gospel will unite men of all races and nationalities in peace. Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson)

Please don't forget to read the post for Sunday, June 6th and go and vote to help Sister Jenny Rash's school!

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has chosen Shepherd Elementary (where Sister Jenny Rash teaches), as his Pepsi Refresh Challenge Project. If they receive enough votes on the web site the school will be awarded $100,000 to use toward new computers, a technology lab and other equipment.

Go to www.nascar.com/pepsirefresh and click on the circle below his name. You can also click on his picture to see his video with the school.

Under his picture type in the scrambled words and click enter to vote. You may vote as many times as you wish.

So any time you sign on to check your e-mail or search the web, remember us and the school and take a second to vote.

Don’t Be in a Hurry to Fill Your Days with “Busyness”

A national journalist shared the following blunt assessment: “A good Mormon is a busy Mormon.” A historian has also observed that “in Mormon culture … action is esteemed over contemplation.” Noting the Church’s mandate to prepare the world for the Millennium, the author wondered if our sense of “urgency, [initially] fed by noble purposefulness, [might] morph into busyness.”

It is true that we have work enough to do, but when it comes to busyness, we may be taking our cues from the world rather than the Lord and His servants. Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles cautioned us against a “frantic, heedless busyness … [that often] crowds out contemplation and … leaves no room for renewal.” He likened thoughtful “intervals between [our] tasks” to “the green belts of grass, trees, and water that … interrupt the asphalt,” and he said that when we “plan some time for contemplation and renewal,” we will feel drawn to our work instead of driven to it.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve observed how easily we fill our lives with “appointments, meetings, and tasks” and then act frightened at the prospect of some quiet time. Why would that be? He feared that we might “feel that the busier we are, the more important we are—as though our busyness defines our worth.” On another occasion, he reminded us that “being busy is not necessarily being spiritual”—for in fact, noise and busyness can actually crowd out the still, small voice of the Spirit.

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) prescribed a remedy for this fever of busyness: meditation, or pondering, or introspection. President Hinckley recalled that his father “never ceased growing” because he made time for “thinking, meditating, [and] pondering.” You may have to turn off your TV, computer, cell phone, or MP3 player, but it’s worth it. As Sister Bonnie D. Parkin, former Relief Society general president, put it: “Take time to slow down and ponder so that you can feel the Lord’s love for you.”

John C. Thomas, “Don’t Be in a Hurry,” Ensign, Jun 2010, 29–33

Create A Profile at the New Mormon.Org Site!

cut and paste this link - http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/new-mormon-org


Mormons come from diverse backgrounds and experiences who all share a deep commitment to Jesus Christ and to each other. The new Mormon.org is designed for visitors to learn more about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each profile is a collection of stories and testimonies from Mormons. Participation is optional, but you must be a member of the Church to create a profile. The profiles will be made public this summer when the new site will launch. English-only profiles will be available this year; other languages will follow after.

Sacrament (June visiting teaching message)

Part 2 -

We Renew Our Baptismal Covenants through the Sacrament
“When we are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Taking upon us His name is one of the most significant experiences we have in life …

“Each week in sacrament meeting we promise to remember the atoning sacrifice of our Savior as we renew our baptismal covenant. We promise to do as the Savior did—to be obedient to the Father and always keep His commandments. The blessing we receive in return is to always have His Spirit to be with us.”

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“I was with an eight-year-old girl on the day of her baptism. At the end of the day she said with all confidence, ‘I have been baptized for a whole day, and I haven’t sinned once!’ But her perfect day did not last forever, and I am sure she is learning by now, like we all learn, that as hard as we try, we do not always avoid every bad situation, every wrong choice …

“… It is not possible to make real change all by ourselves. Our own willpower and our own good intentions are not enough. When we make mistakes or choose poorly, we must have the help of our Savior to get back on track. We partake of the sacrament week after week to show our faith in His power to change us. We confess our sins and promise to forsake them.”

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president

Sacrament (June visiting teaching message)

Part 1 -
Jesus Christ Instituted the Sacrament
“Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to his Apostles, saying, ‘Take, eat’ (Matt. 26:26). ‘This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me’ (Luke 22:19). In a similar manner he took the cup of wine, traditionally diluted with water, said a blessing of thanks for it, and passed it to those gathered about him, saying: ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood,’ ‘which is shed … for the remission of sins.’ ‘This do in remembrance of me.’ …

“Since that upper room experience on the eve of Gethsemane and Golgotha, children of the promise have been under covenant to remember Christ’s sacrifice in this newer, higher, more holy and personal way.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

BE HAPPY!

"Be happy. I meet so many people who constantly complain about the burden of their responsibilities. Of course the pressures are great. There is much, too much, to do. . . . [but] the gospel is good news. Man is that he might have joy. Be happy! Let that happiness shine through your faces and speak through your testimonies.”

"In all of living have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed,not just endured."

“Deal with the problems as wisely as you can. Make your decisions. You may be right; you may be wrong. Hopefully, you will be right because you have prayed earnestly over the matter and you have discussed it with your associates. But once these decisions are made, put them behind you and do not worry about them. Turn around, stand tall, put your head up, and look forward to the marvelous opportunities that you have.”

~~~ Gordon B. Hinckley

the Lighthouse of the Lord

My brothers and sisters, today, as we look at the world around us, we are faced with problems which are serious and of great concern to us. The world seems to have slipped from the moorings of safety and drifted from the harbor of peace.

Permissiveness, immorality, pornography, dishonesty, and a host of other ills cause many to be tossed about on a sea of sin and crushed on the jagged reefs of lost opportunities, forfeited blessings, and shattered dreams.

My counsel for all of us is to look to the lighthouse of the Lord. There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what its beacon light can rescue. It beckons through the storms of life. The lighthouse of the Lord sends forth signals readily recognized and never failing.

I love the words found in Psalms: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; . . . I will call upon the Lord . . . so [I shall] be saved from mine enemies.”

The Lord loves us, my brothers and sisters, and will bless us as we call upon Him.

~~~~ Thomas S. Monson

Duty

This is a troubled world. Discord and disaster are everywhere. It sometimes feels as though mankind itself may be hanging in the balance.

Foreshadowing our day, the Lord said, “The heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve.” We should take great comfort in this promise.

For those who eschew evil and live good lives, who strive for a brighter day and keep the commandments of God, things can get better and better even in the face of tragedy. The Savior showed us the way. From Gethsemane, the cross, and the tomb, He rose triumphant, bringing life and hope to us all. He bids us, “Come, follow me.”

President Thomas S. Monson has counseled: “If we are to walk with head held high, we must make our contribution to life. If we are to fulfill our destiny and return to live with our Father in Heaven, we must keep His commandments and pattern our lives after the Savior. By so doing, we will not only achieve our goal of eternal life, but we will also leave the world richer and better than it would have been had we not lived and performed our duties.”

In the Holy Bible are these inspired words: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

Priesthood Blessing for the Healing of the Sick

Elder Dallin H. Oaks --

Faith is essential for healing by the powers of heaven. The Book of Mormon even teaches that “if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them” (Ether 12:12). In a notable talk on administering to the sick, President Spencer W. Kimball said: “The need of faith is often underestimated. The ill one and the family often seem to depend wholly on the power of the priesthood and the gift of healing that they hope the administering brethren may have, whereas the greater responsibility is with him who is blessed. . . . The major element is the faith of the individual when that person is conscious and accountable. ‘Thy faith hath made thee whole’ [Matthew 9:22] was repeated so often by the Master that it almost became a chorus.”

President Kimball even suggested that “too frequent administrations may be an indication of lack of faith or of the ill one trying to pass the responsibility for faith development to the elders rather than self.” He told about a faithful sister who received a priesthood blessing. When asked the next day if she wished to be administered to again, she replied: “No, I have been anointed and administered to. The ordinance has been performed. It is up to me now to claim my blessing through my faith.”


Words of Blessing

Another part of a priesthood blessing is the words of blessing spoken by the elder after he seals the anointing. These words can be very important, but their content is not essential and they are not recorded on the records of the Church. In some priesthood blessings—like a patriarchal blessing—the words spoken are the essence of the blessing. But in a healing blessing it is the other parts of the blessing—the anointing, the sealing, faith, and the will of the Lord—that are the essential elements.

Ideally, the elder who officiates will be so in tune with the Spirit of the Lord that he will know and declare the will of the Lord in the words of the blessing. Brigham Young taught priesthood holders, “It is your privilege and duty to live so that you know when the word of the Lord is spoken to you and when the mind of the Lord is revealed to you.” When that happens, the spoken blessing is fulfilled literally and miraculously. On some choice occasions I have experienced that certainty of inspiration in a healing blessing and have known that what I was saying was the will of the Lord. However, like most who officiate in healing blessings, I have often struggled with uncertainty on the words I should say. For a variety of causes, every elder experiences increases and decreases in his level of sensitivity to the promptings of the Spirit. Every elder who gives a blessing is subject to influence by what he desires for the person afflicted. Each of these and other mortal imperfections can influence the words we speak.

Fortunately, the words spoken in a healing blessing are not essential to its healing effect. If faith is sufficient and if the Lord wills it, the afflicted person will be healed or blessed whether the officiator speaks those words or not. Conversely, if the officiator yields to personal desire or inexperience and gives commands or words of blessing in excess of what the Lord chooses to bestow according to the faith of the individual, those words will not be fulfilled. Consequently, brethren, no elder should ever hesitate to participate in a healing blessing because of fear that he will not know what to say. The words spoken in a healing blessing can edify and energize the faith of those who hear them, but the effect of the blessing is dependent upon faith and the Lord’s will, not upon the words spoken by the elder who officiated.

Week One Menu (and recipes!)

Here's a sample of a one-week menu from the Watson house:

Breakfast - Cream of wheat, cereal, toast, oatmeal, or yogurt (your choice - my kids get their own breakfasts - these are the things available)

Lunch - leftovers, soup, sandwich (your choice - it's usually just me and Kirsten home for lunch, so I keep it simple)

Dinner:

Day 1 - Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, crusty rolls (your family's favorite brand)
Day 2 - Ham, steamed broccoli, baked paprika tomatoes
Day 3 - Chicken Pot Pie
Day 4 - Garlic Lover's Pot Roast
Day 5 - Goat Cheese Pesto Pizza, roasted Asparagus
Day 6 - Spaghetti
Day 7 - BLTs, broccoli slaw

Recipes -
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup - 2 quarts water, 8 chicken bouillon cubes, 6 1/2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles, 2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted, 3 cups cubed cooked chicken (or 2 large cans of chicken meat), 1 cup sour cream, minced parsley (fresh or dried) In a large saucepan, bring water and bouillon to a boil. Add noodles; cook, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes. DO NOT DRAIN. Add soup and chicken; heat through. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream. Sprinkle with parsley.

Baked Paprika Potatoes - Canned whole potatoes - enough for your family; melted butter - enough to coat potatoes thoroughly; paprika - sprinkle over potatoes until coated. Bake with ham until browned, stirring a few times.

Chicken Pot Pie - 1 (8.5 oz) sheet frozen puff pastry, 3 cups chicken broth, 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" pieces, 3 carrots-sliced, 6 red potatoes-scrubbed and sliced, 1 cup thinly sliced celery, 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup frozen peas, salt and pepper to taste, 1 egg-lightly beaten. In a large saucepan, combine broth, chicken, carrots, potatoes, and celery. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. In a jar, combine the milk and flour. Close the jar and shake until smooth. Stirring constantly, pour the flour mixture into the chicken mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and stir until thickened (about 1 minute). Stir in the peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour the mixture into a 9x13. Unfold the puff pastry and place over the filling. Brush the top of the pastry lightly with the egg. Bake 10-15 minutes til the pastry puffs and is shiny golden brown. makes 6-8 servings.

Garlic Lovers' Pot Roast - 1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), 10 cloves garlic-peeled and cut in 1/2 lengthwise, 2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper,
2 tbl. vegetable oil, 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots, 1 cup chopped celery, 2/3 cup water
Using the tip of a sharp paring knife, make 20 evenly spaced small slits about 1 1/2 inches deep all over the pot roast. Using your fingers, insert the garlic cloves as deep into the slits as possible. Season the roast on all sides with the salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat. Add the oil and carefully add the meat. Sear the meat on all sides until very well browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Add the vegetables, carefully add the water and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low to medium-low and cook until the roast is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning 2 or 3 times during the entire cooking time, adding a little more water, and wine if desired, as needed so that a little liquid always is on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the meat to a platter and let rest 10 minutes. Slice or pull the meat apart into serving pieces and drizzle the pan juices over the top.

Goat Cheese Pizza - 2 ready made pizza crusts, 1 jar basil pesto, 1 log goat cheese. Spread pizza crust with olive oil. Pour on desired amount of pesto and spread close to crust edge. Crumble goat cheese on top. Bake at temperature recommended on pizza crust directions, or at 375 until goat cheese begins to brown. (note - goat cheese won't melt like regular pizza cheese)

Roasted Asparagus - 1 lb asparagus spears (thick spears are best for roasting), 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, Kosher Salt, black pepper, Lemon juice (optional). Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse clean the asparagus. Break the tough ends off of the asparagus and discard. Lay the asparagus spears out in a single layer in a baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the spears, roll the asparagus back and forth until they are covered. Sprinkle with salt, and pepper. Place pan in oven and cook for 8-10 minutes, depending on how thick your asparagus spears are, until lightly browned. Drizzle with a little fresh lemon juice before serving.

Spaghetti - hamburger, Italian sausage, tomato sauce (2 large cans for every 1 tomato paste), tomato paste, garlic, onion, marjoram. This is my grandmother's recipe and I just make it to taste - we like a lot of hamburger and sausage, not too much garlic, onion, or marjoram. Or you can skip making it yourself and just buy your favorite spaghetti sauce! (skip the hamburger, and Italian sausage on the shopping list and add your jar of spaghetti sauce)

Broccoli Slaw - (in the Hickory Stake Relief Society Cookbook!)

Shopping list:
Produce - asparagus, broccoli, grapes, purple onion, lettuce, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, red potatoes
Meat - ham, bacon, hamburger, Italian sausage, chuck roast, chicken
Dairy - sour cream, goat cheese, milk
Bakery - pizza crusts, bread
Frozen - rolls, broccoli, peas
Canned - chicken (2), cream of chicken soup (2), whole potatoes, basil pesto, soups, tomato sauce (2 for every one tomato paste), tomato paste, chicken broth
Dry Goods - egg noodles, raisins, cereal, oatmeal, cream of wheat
Misc - sunflower seed, mayonnaise

I hope this isn't confusing to you - let me know (Candice Watson) if you have any questions about any of the recipes or shopping lists or anything.

Is there anyone who would be willing to share a week's menu, recipes and shopping list?

We live in a noisy, contentious world, where it is possible to be viewing or listening to information, music, or even pure nonsense virtually every waking hour. If we want to have the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, we must find time to slow down, ponder, pray, and live so we are worthy to receive and act upon His promptings. We will avoid major mistakes if we heed His warnings. It is our privilege as members to receive light and knowledge from Him even to the perfect day.

-- Elder Quentin L. Cook

The Thick of Thin Things

From President Thomas S. Monson

I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish—and in effect save their lives.

In the October 1963 general conference—the conference at which I was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—President David O. McKay made this statement: “Man’s greatest happiness comes from losing himself for the good of others."

Often we live side by side but do not communicate heart to heart. There are those within the sphere of our own influence who, with outstretched hands, cry out, “Is there no balm in Gilead?”

I am confident it is the intention of each member of the Church to serve and to help those in need. At baptism we covenanted to “bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light.” How many times has your heart been touched as you have witnessed the need of another? How often have you intended to be the one to help? And yet how often has day-to-day living interfered and you’ve left it for others to help, feeling that “oh, surely someone will take care of that need.”

We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we’re doing, we may find that we have immersed ourselves in the “thick of thin things.” In other words, too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more important causes.

Many years ago I heard a poem which has stayed with me, by which I have tried to guide my life. It’s one of my favorites:

I have wept in the night
For the shortness of sight
That to somebody’s need made me blind;
But I never have yet
Felt a tinge of regret
For being a little too kind.

My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.

STRAWBERRY JAM RECIPE

3 1/4 cups strawberries (blended which is easier or smashed)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 box of pectin(stir while adding)
Add these ingredients to a bowl and let set for 30 min.
Stir every 10 min or so to dissolve pectin. After 30 min pour in pan and add:
1 cup of Karo or corn syrup(helps prevent crystallization during freezing)
4 1/2 cups of sugar(stir in gradually)
Stir all ingredients until heated to baby bottle temp (a little warmer than luke warm). After heated, pour into the container or jar of choice.
Makes approx. 2 3/4 quarts of Jam
I like to double recipe(It goes faster)
Enjoy!

Thanks Sister Barzee (and thanks to your grandmother too!)

Strawberry Jam

At last night's RS meeting (which was fun and YUMMY!), Sister Barzee made some FANTASTIC Strawberry freezer jam for us to sample!

The recipe with specific measurements will be posted here soon!

The Church recently released a new website - http://combatingpornography.org/cp/eng/

Today's quote -
A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. Life is not calm for most women, and each day seems to require the accomplishment of a million things, most of which are important. A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. But with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently.

----Sister Julie B. Beck, General Relief Society President, April 2010 General Conference

Come JAM with us!

Tonight - Tuesday May 18th - we will be getting cooking tips, canning info, and making strawberry jam. WHAT FUN !!! We really hope you'll be there!
Bring a friend!

Ward Conference

The Statesville Ward Conference is this Sunday, May 16th. There will be a luncheon after church. If you have not been asked to bring a main dish, please bring a dessert.

We will be having a Relief Society meeting on Tuesday, May 18th, at 6:30 PM.

Meeting tonight!

Tuesday, February 23rd 6:30 PM -

"Change of Heart"